30 MARCH 2015 Judgments ...... 2 ………………………………………………………………………………………………..2 ...... 2 European Court of Human Rights ...... 2 United Kingdom ...... 3 Legislation ...... 3 Commonwealth ...... 3 Australian Capital Territory ...... 3 Western Australia ...... 3 Reports ...... 3 Australia. Department of Health ...... 3 Australia. Department of Social Services ...... 4 Australia. Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the boards ...... 4 Australia. National Health & Medical Research Council ...... 4 Australia. Therapeutic Goods Administration ...... 5 Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care ...... 5 Northern Territory. Department of Health ...... 5 . Department of Health ...... 6 South Australia. Department for Health & Ageing ...... 6 Tasmania. Department of Health & Human Services ...... 7 Victoria. Department of Health ...... 7 Western Australia. Department of Health ...... 8 New Zealand. Ministry of Health ...... 8 United Kingdom. Department of Health ...... 8 United States of America. Department of Health & Human Services ...... 9 Australian Medical Association ...... 9 British Medical Association ...... 9

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JUDGMENTS Victoria 25 March 2015 - Hunter v Australian Football League & Anor [2015] VSC 112 The Victorian Supreme Court has held that a possibility for proposed legal proceedings to reveal the health, condition, and personal medical or health records of the plaintiff is not a sufficient basis to support an application for a pseudonym order. The applicant sought an order from the Court permitting him to issue proceedings using a pseudonym, restricting his true identity to the parties of that proceeding, and requiring that he be referred to in court documents and in open court by that pseudonym. The applicant requested a pseudonym order on the grounds that the proposed proceedings might reveal his personal medical information. The Court refused the application. It held that the test to be applied in making a pseudonym order is whether it is necessary to do so in order not to prejudice the administration of justice. The Court found that the applicant's concerns about his personal information were not sufficient to outweigh the importance of open justice and that there was no risk of prejudice to the administration of justice should the application be denied. The Court observed that there was no distinction between the proposed proceedings and any proceedings brought for medical negligence, and that it was 'not aware of a single instance of a medical negligence action being conducted with the benefit of a pseudonym order, granted simply on the basis that the proceeding concerns the plaintiff's health and medical records'. New South Wales 25 March 2015 - Smythe v Burgman (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 150 The New South Wales Supreme Court has held that a general practitioner was not negligent in failing to diagnose a patient who presented with atypical symptoms. The plaintiff claimed that the defendant had been negligent in failing to diagnose arterial ischaemia (lack of blood flow) to the plaintiff's left leg. The plaintiff had twice consulted the defendant in relation to pain in her left foot, which the defendant diagnosed as infection. The plaintiff was later diagnosed with a blood clot in her left leg, and required amputation of that leg below the knee. The plaintiff claimed that the leg would not have required amputation had the defendant diagnosed her condition correctly. The Court found that the defendant had not been negligent in her care of the patient, and that she had diagnosed and managed the plaintiff's complaint to the standard which could reasonably be expected of a general practitioner. In making this finding, the Court accepted that the defendant had checked the pulses in the plaintiff's lower limbs, even though the defendant had not noted that she had done so in the plaintiff's medical records. The Court accepted that it was the defendant's usual practice to only record abnormal results. The Court found that even if the defendant had been negligent in her care of the plaintiff, there was insufficient evidence to establish that amputation could have been avoided. The Court held that the plaintiff had failed to prove that such negligence would have caused or contributed to the loss of the plaintiff's leg. 23 March 2015 - Health Care Complaints Commission v Low [2015] NSWCATOD 18 Medical practitioner prescribing drugs for patients – professional misconduct – ignorance, naivety, professional isolation, neglect of continuing medical education. 23 March 2015 - D'Rozario v Dental Board of Australia [2015] NSWCATOD 19 Health Care Professionals – Dentists – Appeal against decision of the Board not to register practitioner as specialist - where practitioner did not have approved qualification. European Court of Human Rights 24 March 2015 - Case of Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Romania – Helsinki Committee on Behalf of Ionel Garcea v. Romania - 2959/11- [2015] ECHR 309. European Court of Human Rights - alleged breach of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by Romana - death of mentally ill man while held in custody - allegation that lack of treatment for a number of medical conditions amounted to torture.

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United Kingdom 25 March 2015 - Shorter v Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust [2015] EWHC 614 (QB) Medical negligence - failure to report CT scan - failure to diagnose - wrongful discharge from hospital - claim for nervous shock - whether relationship sufficiently proximate to give rise to cause of action for nervous shock.

LEGISLATION Commonwealth 24 March 2015 - Enhancing Online Safety for Children Act 2015 - C2015A00024 - Act No. 24 of 2015. 26 March 2015 - National Health (Listing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Amendment Instrument 2015 (No. 3) (PB 26 of 2015). 26 March 2015 - National Health (Prescriber bag supplies) Amendment Determination 2015 (No. 3) (PB 29 of 2015). 26 March 2015 - National Health Determination under paragraph 98C(1)(b) Amendment 2015 (No. 3) (PB 28 of 2015). 25 March 2015 - National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits – Early Supply) Amendment Instrument 2015 (No. 3) – specification under subsection 84AAA(2) (PB 36 of 2015). 26 March 2015 - A New Tax System (Medicare Levy Surcharge—Fringe Benefits) Amendment Bill 2015. 26 March 2015 - Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2015. 26 March 2015 - Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Bill 2015. 25 March 2015 - Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2015. Australian Capital Territory 26 March 2015 - Children and Young People Amendment Bill 2015. 26 March 2015 - Human Rights Amendment Bill 2015. Western Australia 24 March 2015 - Gene Technology (Western Australia) Bill 2014 Legislative Council Committee of the whole.

REPORTS Australia. Department of Health Media releases 25 March 2015 - $120 million for tomorrow’s medical breakthrough - Minister for Health Sussan Ley has announced $123.5 million in grants to ensure Australia remains at the forefront of medical health and research. 25 March 2015 - Australian kids hit healthy sixes - A new pilot programme will help schools increase the number of students playing cricket. 25 March 2015 - Getting Australia off the couch & playing sport - The Australian Government has an ambitious game plan to get more Australians off the couch and participating in organised sport to help improve the health of the nation. 25 March 2015 - Media Update - Hepatitis A linked to Frozen Berries - This page provides a Media Update - Hepatitis A in Frozen Berries as at 25 March 2015 - 11am.

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25 March 2015 - Register for Sporting Schools today - Schools, clubs and coaches can now sign up to be involved with Sporting Schools, the Australian Government’s new initiative to get more kids active and healthy. Private Health insurance (PHI) Circulars 20 March 2015 - PHI 17/15 Changes to Second Tier Eligible Hospitals. 20 March 2015 - PHI 16/15 Nursing Home Type Patient Contribution Rates and Minimum Benefits as at 20 March 2015. Australia. Department of Social Services 24 March 2015 - Notification of Infectious Disease Outbreaks – Amendment to Reporting Requirements - As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to reducing the regulatory burden on business and community organisations, approved providers of aged care services should no longer notify the Aged Care Complaints Scheme (the Scheme) of infectious disease outbreaks. 23 March 2015 - New Family Day Care self-assessment data for the Community Support Programme - The Department of Social Services has published the latest self-assessment data for Family Day Care operators, including those wanting to apply for Community Support Programme (Operational Support) funding for the 2015-16 financial year. 19 March 2015 - Latest update on the Processing of 2013-14 NRAS Incentive Claims - The Department is providing regular updates on the progress of processing 2013-14 NRAS incentive claims. Australia. Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (HPRA) and the boards 24 March 2015 - Board commissions research on revalidation - The Medical Board of Australia has commissioned international research into revalidation, or ways to make sure doctors keep their skills up to date throughout their professional lives ‘We started a conversation about revalidation in Australia in 2012 as part of our commitment to making sure doctors in Australia maintain the skills to provide safe and ethical care to patients throughout their working lives,’ said Medical Board of Australia Chair, Dr Joanna Flynn AM. Evidence from Canada indicated that 1.5 per cent of medical practitioners were performing unsatisfactorily. Translated to Australia, the statistic suggests that more than 1,350 medical practitioners in the country could be performing unsatisfactorily. 20 March 2015 - Tribunal reprimands and suspends nurse, and imposes conditions on registration - The State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia has reprimanded Ms Anne McAleer for professional misconduct, cancelled her registration as a registered nurse and disqualified her from reapplying for registration for six months. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia referred this matter to the tribunal in June 2014 after Ms McAleer was convicted of 81 counts of gains benefit by fraud in the Magistrates Court of Western Australia on 20 August 2013. The total value of the offences was $7,851 and the offending had taken place over the period of March 2011 to October 2012, while Ms McAleer was employed as Clinical Nurse Manager, Outpatients Department, at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (Hospital). Her employment was terminated by the Hospital in June 2013 after she was charged with the offences in April 2013. Ms McAleer received a community based order for 12 months from 20 August 2013 and was granted a spent conviction. Australia. National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 25 March 2015 - NHMRC CEO releases statement on e-cigarettes - The CEO of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia has today released a statement summarising the evidence on the safety, quality and efficacy of e-cigarettes. It states that, “There is currently insufficient evidence to conclude whether e-cigarettes can benefit smokers in quitting, or about the extent of their potential harms. It is recommended that health authorities act to minimise harm until evidence of safety, quality and efficacy can be produced. 25 March 2015 - New grants to support research commercialisation - New research grants to help transform medical research ideas into commercial outcomes were announced today. Worth $15.2 million, the 26 NHMRC Development Grants support the commercial development of a range of products, processes and procedures that if successfully developed, will result in improved health care, disease

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prevention or provide health cost savings. They include an injectible filler to repair bones, a new sperm sorting device to reduce male infertility and improve IVF outcomes 25 March 2015 - $98 million to support large scale grants - Eleven grants worth an average of almost $9 million each to support big teams tackle big ideas were announced today. The NHMRC Program Grants support teams of high calibre researchers pursue broad, multi-disciplinary and collaborative research in some of the most complex areas of health and medical research. NHMRC CEO Professor Warwick Anderson said the grants are the largest available from NHMRC and went towards long term studies conducted by world-leading researchers. 25 March 2015 - $6.4 million to support next generation of researchers - New grants to support and develop health and medical researchers at the beginning of their careers were announced today. The NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships were awarded to 69 outstanding health and medical graduates to support them to complete a PhD or Masters Degree. NHMRC CEO Professor Warwick Anderson said Postgraduate Scholarships were crucial to ensuring Australia had the capacity to conduct high quality health and medical research in the future. 25 March 2015 - Collaborative research promises to deliver better outcomes for patients - Collaboration is key in the latest round of National Health and Medical Research Council grants announced today by Minister for Health Sussan Ley. Two new grants supporting partnerships between researchers from Australia and the United Kingdom, and five grants that will see top Australian researchers partnering with health-based organisations and governments are set to get underway. 24 March 2015 - Targeted Call for Research into Wind Farms and Human Health now open - The National Health and Medical Research Council has today opened a Targeted Call for Research (TCR) into Wind Farms and Human Health. The TCR will support research that addresses one or both of the following issues: The relationship between wind farm noise and health effects. The broader social and environmental circumstances that influence annoyance, sleep disturbance, quality of life and health effects that are reported by residents living in proximity to wind farms. Australia. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) 25 March 2015 - Score Knee Prosthesis - Safety alert - higher than expected revision rate when used without patella resurfacing. 23 March 2015 - İlaç ya da tıbbi cihazlarla yurtdışına seyahat ediyor musunuz? - Travelling with medicines and medical devices - Turkish. 23 March 2015 - Advisory Committee on Medical Devices (ACMD) - Updated ACMD members. 20 March 2015 - Australian Public Assessment Reports for prescription medicines (AusPARs) - Added Influenza Virus Haemagglutinin H1N1, H3N2, B Victoria lineage, B Yamagata lineage (FluQuadri, FluQuadri Junior), Peginterferon beta 1a (rch) (Plegridy). Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 23 March 2015 - On the Radar – Issue 215 (PDF 101KB) (Word 130KB) Northern Territory. Department of Health 27 March 2015 - Titjikala in line to receive health centre upgrades - A local Alice Springs company, Patrick Homes & Construction Pty Ltd, has won the tender to complete a $2.7 million upgrade of the health centre at Titjikala. The planned extension and refurbishment is due to begin in the coming weeks and will allow for the delivery of improved health services at the remote community. The changes to the centre will include an improved emergency room, two additional consulting rooms, a larger and more secure pharmacy and additional storage for bulk medical supplies. 25 March 2015 - Labor votes against Legislation to support fire fighters with cancer - Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services said it is crazy that Labor would prefer to block ground-breaking Presumptive Fire Fighters legislation and leave sick Firefighters exposed. 24 March 2015 - Parliamentary Committee to investigate Ice - The Territory Government is moving to establish a Parliamentary Committee to investigate the prevalence and impacts of Ice use in our

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community, as well as the effectiveness of current Government responses to the drug. 'I have heard the community’s concern about the use of Ice in the Northern Territory and will tomorrow move a motion to set up a Parliamentary Select Committee to explore the issue,' Chief Minister Adam Giles said. Queensland. Department of Health 26 March 2015 - Supporting Indigenous kidney health - On World Kidney Day (26 March 2015), the prevalence of kidney disease in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is highlighted, with 15.7 per cent of Queensland’s regular dialysis patients last year identifying as Indigenous. Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeannette Young said management of kidney disease – and associated disorders such as diabetes and hypertension – depended on effective treatment as well as preventive actions. 23 March 2015 - Pioneering specialist diabetes service for children launched - A new initiative launched at North Lakes Health Precinct will be a welcome relief for families dealing with Type 1 diabetes. North Lakes Diabetes Service and Redcliffe Hospital Paediatric Ward have teamed up to give families the option to access services at North Lakes Health Precinct within the first day of diagnosis. This new collaboration will see the number of days a child is admitted to Redcliffe Hospital with Type 1 diabetes significantly reduced. South Australia. Department for Health & Ageing 25 March 2015 - Children’s Commissioner bill will await Royal Commission findings - The Government will put the Child Development and Wellbeing Bill on hold temporarily while it awaits the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Child Protection Systems. Child Development Minister Susan Close said it was reasonable to receive the commission’s findings before moving forward with new legislation. 'We have had very constructive discussions with the opposition and with stakeholders in the development of the Government’s Bill for a Commissioner for Children and Young People. 'The Government has put forward a series of amendments that ensure the independence of the Commissioner and clarify the role. 'But at this time, I feel it is prudent to await the report of the Royal Commission.' 24 March 2015 - Calling on 'The Fixer' to overturn cuts to pensioner concessions - The State Government is calling on to fix the ’s $30 million cut to pensioner concessions in South Australia. Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said that as the most senior South Australian in the Abbott Government’s cabinet, Mr Pyne should put his self-proclaimed title to the test and stand up for South Australia’s pensioners. 24 March 2015 - Grants to keep older South Australians engaged in their communities - Thirty two South Australian community organisations will share in more than $75,000 as part of round two of the 2014-15 Grants for Seniors program. Minister for Ageing Zoe Bettison said Grants for Seniors supports community organisations to purchase equipment or run activities specifically for seniors. 'The Grants for Seniors program helps and encourages older South Australians to become more involved in their community and to participate in a range of activities,' Ms Bettison said. 'Projects funded through this grant program encourage participation by seniors which helps to reduce social isolation and vulnerability.' 23 March 2015 - South Australia commits $17.7m to National Partnership on Homelessness - The State Government today matched the Commonwealth’s commitment to the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, allocating $17.7 million over two years for homelessness services. Social Housing Minister Zoe Bettison said today’s State and Federal government announcements end the uncertainty for South Australia’s homelessness sector. 20 March 2015 - SA Pathology investigation - An investigation into the use of covert surveillance camera equipment at SA Pathology has been completed. SA Health Chief Executive, David Swan, said while the investigation found the surveillance activity may not have been appropriate, it did not breach any laws. 'Once it came to my attention in January that SA Pathology had installed covert surveillance camera equipment in the Customer Services area at the Frome Road site, I asked for a formal investigation to review the situation,' Mr Swan said. 'The investigation has found that the camera equipment was installed due to suspicion of tampering with pathology results, therefore putting patient care at risk.' The cameras did not have the capability to record audio and therefore did not breach the Listening and Surveillance Devices Act 1972.

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Tasmania. Department of Health & Human Services 26 March 2015 - Problem gambling rate declines - The Government welcomes the release of Part A of the 2015 Social and Economic Impact Study of Gambling in Tasmania, which was tabled in Parliament today. 26 March 2015 - School Nurse Recruiting Begins - Today I am very pleased to announce the recruitment of child health and youth health nurses has started. Stage One of the process involves recruiting 10 Registered Nurses who will begin work in Tasmanian Government schools from July this year. These positions are advertised in this week's Tasmanian Government Gazette and will be advertised in Tasmania's major newspapers on Saturday. This is a significant step towards reintroducing school nurses, who play a crucial role in supporting our school communities and creating an environment that promotes lifelong health and wellbeing. Over the past 12-months stakeholders have been extensively consulted to develop an implementation plan for the roll out of the School Health Nurse Program. The program includes dedicated Primary School Nurses and Secondary School nurses, who will provide health services to students in targeted schools across Tasmania. In primary schools, nurses will focus on vision and hearing checks and nutrition, while in high schools risk behaviours and mental health will receive greater attention. 20 March 2015 - Youth say mental health matters - Today I had the pleasure of launching a forum hosted by the Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT) to hear from young people about mental health. Victoria. Department of Health 26 March 2015 - Melba Support Services Opens – A Step Forward For TAFE - Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, James Merlino, officially opened Melba Support Services’ new headquarters at the former Swinburne Lilydale campus today. Mr Merlino said the official opening was a major step forward in returning the site to educational and community use. Melba Support Services is a non-profit group which supports more than 300 people who live with a disability and relocated from its former home in Mt Evelyn which was in a high-bushfire risk area. Mr Merlino said the organisation’s new location, which is well connected to transport and other community facilities, would help Melba improve service delivery and provide training for people living with a disability. 26 March 2015 - Fiskville Shut Forever - The Andrews Labor Government has permanently closed the CFA training facility at Fiskville. The CFA board unanimously recommended the closure of the site following the results of around 550 tests at the site. The results showed that while the drinking water and showers were clear of contamination, high levels of the toxic chemical PFOS were found around the fire training area and a completely new zone at the site where the chemical had not been previously detected. The exhaustive tests showed PFOS levels ranged from less than 1 microgram per litre to as high as 50 micrograms per litre. 25 March 2015 - Disaster Assistance For Victoria Following February Storms - Commonwealth Minister for Justice Michael Keenan and Victorian Minister for Emergency Services, Jane Garrett today announced that disaster assistance has been activated in response to the storms which occurred on 28 February 2015. Mr Keenan said that the assistance was being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-state and territory Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). 25 March 2015 - Local Schools Unite For Anti-Bullying Summit - Student representatives from 15 local primary schools came together today for an anti-bullying summit at Apollo Parkways Primary School in Greensborough. Minister for Education, James Merlino, joined more than 30 Grade 5 and 6 students, along with principals and teachers of the 15 schools, to learn about how local students and their schools prevent bullying. 25 March 2015 - Opening Doors For People With Mental Illness - Minister for Mental Health, Martin Foley, today announced a $3.57 million funding boost to support people living with a mental illness to find and keep a rental property. The Doorway program is delivered by the Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria in partnership with the Victorian Government, clinical mental health services and the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV). The program has secured housing for 59 adults with a severe mental illness in the private rental market and supports them to hold on to their homes. The Andrews Labor Government will provide

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$3.57 million over four years so the Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria can expand the program and find more homes for people living with a severe mental illness who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. 24 March 2015 - Grants Of Up To $60,000 To Build Men’s Sheds - Communities across Victoria can now apply for grants to build a new Men’s Shed, following the release of $750,000 in funding by the Andrews Labor Government. Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, today announced the release of the funds at a visit to the Ballarat East Men’s Shed with local MP Geoff Howard. 24 March 2015 - New Smoking Bans Outside Ballarat Schools And Kinders - New smoking bans will commence in three weeks’ time. The bans have been brought forward by the Andrews Labor Government to protect more Victorians from secondhand smoke. Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, and local MP Sharon Knight visited the Girrabanya Centre for Children and Families in North Ballarat today and distributed signs. 23 March 2015 - New Smoking Bans To Start At Hospitals And Schools - New smoking bans will commence in three weeks’ time, brought forward by the Andrews Labor Government to protect more Victorians from secondhand smoke. The bans, established under the Tobacco Amendment Act 2014, were due to come into effect on 30 June 2015 but will instead commence on Monday 13 April Western Australia (WA). Department of Health Media Releases 26 March 2015 - PARTY program wins WA Country Health Service Award - A reality education program called PARTY (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) run at Bunbury Hospital has won a WA Country Health Service – South West Safety and Quality award. 26 March 2015 - Government funds ground-breaking research - A Royal Perth Hospital immunologist investigating the possibility of using an antibody to trigger natural immune responses to fight HIV is one of 131 researchers benefitting from about $6 million of State Government funding. 25 March 2015 - Ease up at Easter - Every road user in Western Australia has a responsibility to play their part in reducing the number of road deaths and the reducing the trauma caused by road crashes. 25 March 2015 - Minister for Health: Government funds groundbreaking research - A Western Australian health researcher investigating the possibility of using an antibody to trigger natural immune responses to fight human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is one of 131 researchers who will share about $6 million in State Government research funding. 25 March 2015 - Disability Health Framework consultation - The Disability Health Network invites people to take part in the consultation process on the draft WA Disability Health Framework: improving the health care of people with disability. 24 March 2015 - New videos target sexual health for international students - WA Health has developed a series of videos aimed at giving international students a good understanding about sexual health and the health care system in Western Australia. 20 March 2015 - Murray Valley encephalitis virus detection prompts warning for the Kimberley - The Department of Health is warning residents and travellers in the Kimberley region of Western Australia to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites following the detection of the mosquito-borne Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus in the northwest for the first time in 2015. New Zealand. Ministry of Health 23 March 2015 - Report on Low Vision Services in New Zealand - A new report on low vision services is now available: Stocktake and Needs Analysis of Low Vision Services in New Zealand. United Kingdom. Department of Health 26 March 2015 - NHS Litigation Authority Directions 2013. 26 March 2015 - Pharmacy legislation on dispensing errors and standards. 26 March 2015 - Adult autism statutory guidance.

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26 March 2015 - NHS Outcomes Framework 2015 to 2016. 26 March 2015 - Advice on regulating herbal medicines and practitioners. 26 March 2015 - Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee: triennial review. 26 March 2015 - British Pharmacopoeia Commission: triennial review. 26 March 2015 - Commission on Human Medicines: triennial review. 26 March 2015 - Continuity of care when moving across borders within UK. 26 March 2015 - Independent Reconfiguration Panel 2014 Review. 26 March 2015 - Code of practice: Mental Health Act 1983. 26 March 2015 - Changes to Mental Health Act (1983) Code of Practice. 26 March 2015 - Working to reduce the use of animals in research: delivery report. 26 March 2015 - Dental reform: next step. 25 March 2015 - Guidance on overseas visitors hospital charging regulations. 25 March 2015 - Establishing food standards for NHS hospitals. 25 March 2015 - Dementia-friendly health and social care environments (HBN 08-02). 25 March 2015 - Living well for longer: progress 1 year on. 25 March 2015 - Mental health aftercare in England and Wales. United States of America. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) 26 March 2015 - HHS takes strong steps to address opioid-drug related overdose, death and dependence. 25 March 2015 - Better, Smarter, Healthier: Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network kick off to advance value and quality in health care. 25 March 2015 - HHS launches innovative digital storytelling project to support federal HIV response. 25 March 2015 - Secretary Burwell announces new HHS Regional Director for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 23 March 2015 - HHS seeks to develop improved anthrax vaccine. Australian Medical Association (AuMA) 26 March 2015 - AuMA declares zero tolerance for sexual harassment, bullying - AuMA President Associate Professor Brian Owler has challenged the medical profession to 'set the benchmark' in eliminating sexual harassment, bullying. 24 March 2015 - Best laid plans reduce patient discomfort and distress - The AuMA has called for the widespread use of palliative care plans to ensure residential aged care residents with life-limiting illnesses are not subject to unnecessary pain and distress. British Medical Association 26 March 2015 - 'Long way to go' for labour abuses in medical trade. 25 March 2015 - Huge increase in patients being turned away. 25 March 2015 - Back-to-work bursary for GPs. 24 March 2015 - Medical student's CPR saves life on aircraft. 23 March 2015 - Political parties set out healthcare policies - Parliamentary candidates in Bedford have set out their parties’ policies for health. 23 March 2015 - Lassa Fever threatens to add to Ebola crisis.

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ABOUT US Michael Regos Michael is the head of the DLA Piper health litigation group.

He practises in the areas of health law, insurance law, medical negligence and coronial enquiries. He represents Victorian public hospitals and their insurers, the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority and is the solicitor of choice for Australia's second- largest private health operator.

Michael regularly presents to medical groups and hospitals on medico-legal issues. Contact Details T +61 3 9274 5437 [email protected]

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